On the evening of September 27, 2018, Phil Trenary, a 64-year-old White male, was fatally shot in downtown Memphis. Trenary, the president and CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce and former CEO of Pinnacle Airlines, was walking on South Front Street at approximately 8 p.m. when the incident occurred. He was taken to Regional One Health hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into Trenary's death quickly led to the identification of suspects.
Authorities initially released a description of a suspect and a white Ford F-150 believed to be connected to the shooting. This vehicle, which had been reported stolen, was spotted by police the following day, leading to a pursuit that ended in a crash. One of the occupants, Quandarius Richardson, was arrested at the scene.
Further investigation led to the arrests of two other individuals, McKinney Wright Jr. and a 16-year-old female, Racanisha Wright. All three were subsequently charged in connection with Trenary's murder. According to police, the suspects confessed to their involvement, stating that they had been driving around downtown Memphis looking for someone to rob.
The legal proceedings for the individuals charged in Trenary's death unfolded over several years. Racanisha Wright's case was handled in juvenile court. McKinney Wright Jr. and Quandarius Richardson were both indicted on charges of first-degree murder and attempted especially aggravated robbery. Richardson also faced additional charges related to the stolen vehicle and evading arrest.
In December 2023, McKinney Wright Jr. pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison without the possibility of parole. In May 2024, Quandarius Richardson also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a 35-year prison sentence with no chance of parole. The resolution of these cases brought a close to the legal chapter of a crime that had deeply impacted the Memphis community.
